Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1887-06-01
OUR MINING INTERESTS.
Great Wealth in the Aienes-The
Big Lost River Mines.

Big Lost River Mines.
Writing from Murray. Idaho, q cores
pondeut saws: Eagle, the former metrop-
oils OF the Cpnr d AIenes, is now agri-
cultural town. the Eagle creek and Prl-
cfarti valleys being cleared and made into
ranches. / took trip down to the North
Fork river. four miles below. This is one
Of the finest mountain streams have yet
seen. It and its feeders are full OF trout,
while the banks and neighborlng noun
tains abound in game. Very little pros
peestina has ever been done in the sur
rounding hills, although evidences OF nun
eral wealth exists in every direction.
When the times comes for working the
old channel wash. of which there are thous
| ands of a res within eight miles each way
| from Murray. this will be one OF the
greatest placer camps on earth, conpar
| loe with or eciipsing many OF the placer
| mines Of California Here, in this iocail-
| ty. on this old wash, where a small amount
| of water can be obtained from some neigh
! boring stream, and often with simple
! hand rocker, many men have made
/ considerable money, averaging more
than wages by the erudest methods.
| n Neeassariiy this great bed of gravel must
| by worked on large scale, and capital
| will have to take hold of it and bring IN
ditehes from Prichard, East Eagle, Or both
streams During ralnhle over portion
OF the wash in company with Dennis
giordan, an old-ti1ne Helenian, we came
to a cabin, high up on gravel range,
which looked familiar. Over the door
was a hoard on which was written nj =
l,Yea Placer Mine, EbeneZer McCrea,
well knowns in Montana and connected
with Schwab 81 Zimmerman, the owner
of this claim. have visited several
cabins of Mr.. AIcCrea's in different sec
tions OF the country and they all present
the same appearance of neatness.
/ The Weld of placer gold on this side
tEfs year so far is immense, and as the
water is likely to keep up for some time
ne doubt the seasons yield will eclipse
that OF any former year.
Mr.. Irwin of Butte has had assays made
of the specimen rock brought back by him
from Southern idaho, in the Big Lost
river district It was stated that the ore
was low Grade and would not exceed $50
in silver and Is per cent lead. The assays
in nearly all cases were even below this
estimate. but one or two of them turned
out to carry considerable more. Mr.. Irwin
told a reporter recently that he wished
TO consult With Billy Wilson and the
others who made the tip to Idaho with
him. and it is probable that they will
make another journey to that country
with view to getting control OF some OF
the most valuable properties
/ 4 boEanza discovery, equaling. 1t is
| stated, the famous Gomstock lode, IS SAID
to have been made within the jurisdiction
of Alaska The scene of the discovery IS
on the Jnga Island. one of the Choumagin
group of islands. 1t is near the south
western shore of the Alaskan peninsula.
! An immense ledge of great length and
breadth has been discovered. The Sltka
Mining s Commercial Company owned
two claigns and erected a stamp mill.
Specimens of surprisingly rich ore are on
exhibition in San Francisco.
| A rumor prevails i'll San Francisco that
a syndicate, composed Of j. w Maekay, j
G. Flood. Senator Jones, Alvinza Hay
ward and w S. Hobart, has purchased
an immense tract of land, known as the
Mariposa grant, comprising 49,ooo acres,
from the banking house of Donahue, kel-
/ lev & Co. for $500 The property is
rich in minerals, and when developed by
portant feature in future mining opera
tions.
Tie Bigfoot Mining Company of Helena
has already purchased the necessary ma
chinery to put the mine in shape to sup
ply 4 100-ton concentration during the
coming summer. AS soon as the ma
enineTv purchased is put in the output
will be very large. II. T. Brown, the
mining engineer, reports a vein in the
mine twenty three to twenty feet wide
: and with the present comparatively small
J development several thousand tons OF ore
] ii sight The development consists OF 9
shaft down IS feet, with levels run each
way at the bottom Of the shaft and also al
the 5o-foot. It is proposed TO Immediately
sink 100 feet farther and open levels
| which will undoubtedly expose a large
boGy of ore. The Bigfoot promises to be
come a dividend payer in the near future
and a consequent benefit to the Boulder
| district